Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a medical accessory, and more particularly to a patient positioner suitable for use during surgery.
Background Art
During a medical procedure, such as a surgical procedure, a patient is placed on a procedure table. In many procedures, a patient positioner is used to retain the patient in a specific location or position on the procedure table. For example, in some abdominal or other surgical procedures, the tilt angle of the procedure table is changed such that the patient's pelvis is above the head so as to allow gravity to assist in moving organs not involved in the procedure away from the procedure site. Such a position is commonly referred to as the “Trendelenburg” position after the German surgeon Freidrich Trendelenburg. In addition to facilitating the gravitational movement of organs away from the procedure site, the Trendelenburg position provides an advantageous field of view of the surgeon during many procedures. In some procedures, the steeper the angle of tilt, the more effectively the patient is positioned. Some Trendelenburg positions have corresponding tilt angles of forty-five degrees or greater.
When placing a person in the Trendelenburg position, medical practitioners worry about the patient slipping or sliding along the procedure table due to the tilt angle. If a person slips, not only can it affect the procedure, but repositioning the person can require the assistance of multiple people. This problem is complicated by the fact that the patient is generally anesthetized during a surgical procedure, which makes the patient harder to reposition. Repositioning a patient can be tedious, time-consuming and especially hazardous if the surgical operation is well in progress.
There have been many prior art attempts to provide patient positioners that retain the patient on the procedure table when in the Trendelenburg position. Many involve padded barriers placed against the patient's body and held against the procedure table by elongated arms extending from rails. The arms are long and thus create large torque moments. These moments cause locking and other mechanical components to wear and fail. Moreover, these complex solutions require the time-consuming manipulation knobs, levers, and latches. Further, the length, bulkiness, and complexity of the bracing and restraining structures can interfere with a surgeon's access to procedural equipment.
It would be advantageous to have a simplified patient positioner that is easier to use, more comfortable for the patient, and more reliable.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.